Adjuster for retaining sheets to be punched and for releasing same.



No. 7|l,744. Patented Oct. 2|, I902.

F. SUTHERLAND.

ADJUSTER FOR RETAINING SHEETS TO BE PUNCH'ED AND FOR REL EASING SAME.

(Application filed July 30, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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WITNESSES. UVVEN'fO/Y A TTORNEY w: uonms mans 520.. PflOYO-UTMO" WASHINGTON. u c.

UNITED STATE PATENT Orrrcn.

FRANK SUTHERLAND, OF'W'ESTWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

ADJUSTER FOR RETAININGSHEETS TO BE PUNCHED AND FOR RELEASING SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,744, dated October 21, 1902.

Application filed July 30, 1902. Serial No. 117,669. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK SUTHERLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Westwood, county of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Adjusters for Betaining Sheets to be Punched and for Releasing Same, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for preparing loose sheets of paper, such as carbon copies of letters, &c., for permanent filing, and has for its objects, first, to accurately aline a plurality of sheets ready for punching the necessary holes therein, and, secondly, to transfer the punched sheets directly from my device to the binder without danger of their getting out of alinement. These objects I accomplish in the manner and by the means hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved device complete, showing the parts assembled. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the holdingtray, and Fig. 4 a top plan view of the cover.

Similar numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views.

In the said drawings the reference numeral 1 denotes a tray for receiving the sheets of paper to be punched, the same being open at one side, as shown, and being provided near the edge of this open side with circular apertures 2, the same being extended into slots 3, passing to the edge of the tray. A cover or lid 4, adapted to closely fit the interior of tray 1, is provided with a lifting-knob 5 and with substantially T-shaped projections 6 on its ends adapted to register with slots 7 in the end walls of the tray 1 to prop- .erly position said cover or lid in the tray.

The said cover or lid 4 is also provided with circular apertures 8, extended into slots 9, the same being so positioned as to accurately register with the apertures 2 and slots 3 of the tray 1 when the tray and cover or lid are assembled as shown in Fig. 1.

From the above description the operation of my improved construction will be under stood to be as follows: The sheets to be punched to the number of from fifty to one hundred, according to the thickness of the paper, are laid in the tray 1 face downward, the inside measurement of the latter conforming to the size of the sheets, which thus overlie the apertures 2. The cover or lid 4 is then placed in the tray on top of the sheets, its T- shaped projections 6 engaging with the slots 7 in the end walls of the tray, and thus accurately registering its apertures 8 and slots 9 with the corresponding underlying apertures and slots in the tray. The cover or lid 4 will thus hold the underlying sheets steadily and firmly, and by means of a suitable punch circular holes may be made through the sheets at the points Where the circular apertures 2 and 8 occur. To place the sheets so punched in a binder, the tray 1 and cover or lid 4, still assembled and with the punched sheets still held therebetween, are placed over the wires of the binder, said Wires being passed through the apertures 2 and 8 of the tray and cover or lid, and thus necessarily through the holes punched in the sheets, it being of course understood that the apertures 2 and 8 are properly located to conform to the relative location of the wires of the particular form of binder to be used. Now by simply lifting the cover or lid 4 slightly to release the pressure on the sheets both the cover or lid and the tray 1 may be removed from the binder by withdrawing them laterally therefrom, the slots 3 and 9 therein readily permitting this disengagement.

My invention is particularly. well designed for use with the well-known Shipman Oommon Sense Binders, the type of which is disclosed in Letters Patent to Henry S.Williams, granted. March 20, 1883, No. 274,429; but I do not wishto be understood as limiting its use to this particular form of binder, as it is equally well adapted for use with any form of binder employing wires or pins to hold the sheets, it being only necessary to properly locate the apertures 2 and 8 to conform to the location of the wires or pins of the particular form of binder employed. So, also, while it is particularly well adapted for use with sheets of a common size, such as carbon letter copies, its use is not limited to the same, as sheets of different sizes may be assembled and punched by first alining them against one end and the open side of the'tray 1.

WhileI have shown and described the cover or lid 4 as provided with the slots 9 similar to the slots 3 in the tray, it will be understood that the same are not necessary and may be dispensed with, as the cover or lid being on top may be lifted vertically from the wires or pins of the binder after the device with the interposed sheets have been placed thereon, the tray being withdrawn laterally, as hereinbefore described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an adjuster for receiving sheets to be punched, a tray adapted to receive the sheets and open at one side and provided with apertures through which the sheets may be punched, and an independent cover or lid for said tray adapted to rest on and retain the sheets in said tray and also provided with apertures registering with those in the tray.

2. In an adjuster for receiving sheets to be punched, a tray adapted to receive and aline the sheets and open at one side and provided with apertures through which the sheets may be punched, a cover or lid for said tray adapted to rest on and retain the sheets in said tray and also provided with apertures similar to those in the tray, and engaging means on the tray and cover or lid for adjusting the two to cause the apertures therein to accurately register.

3. In an adjuster for receiving sheets to be punched, a tray adapted to receive and aline the sheets and open at one side and provided with apertures through which the sheets may be punched, a cover or lid for said tray adapted to rest on and retain the sheets in said tray and also provided with apertures similar to those in the tray, and engaging means for adjusting the two to cause the apertures therein to accurately register consisting of substantially T shaped projections on the ends of the cover or lid adapted to engage and lock with slots in the end walls of the tray.

4. In an adjuster for receiving sheets to be punched and for releasing the same, a tray adapted to receive and aline the sheets and open at one side and provided with apertures through which the sheets may be punched, said apertures being extended into slots passing to the edge of the open side of tray, and a cover or lid for said tray adapted to rest on and retain the sheets in said tray and also provided with apertures similar to those in the tray and registering therewith.

5. In an adjuster for receiving sheets to be punched and for releasing the same, a tray adapted to receive and aline the sheets and open at one side and provided with apertures through which the sheets may be punched, said apertures being extended into slots passing to the edge of the open side of the tray, and a cover or lid for said tray adapted to rest on and retain the sheets in said tray and also provided with apertures and slots similar to those in the tray and registering therewith.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK SUTHERLAND.

Witnesses: I

D. W. CooKn, D. M. BOWMAN. 

